AWOL
by MzMilo
Summary: Takaba Akihito was aptly described as a hellion firebrand. But he could also be like a wind sprite influencing everything he touched and encountered with his presence alone. Like an untamed tempest of international scale. ON HIATUS
1. Wanderlust

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Author's Notes:**

A gift to Ashida's Grey Over St Petersburg which was the source of the plot dragons urging me to add this fic.

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**AWOL Summary**

Takaba Akihito was aptly described as a hellion firebrand. But he could also be like a wind sprite influencing everything he touched and encountered with his presence alone. Like an untamed tempest in international scale.

**Warnings:**

AU, MAJOR canon divergence, language, spoiler of Finder Series manga Chapter 1: Love Prize**,** pilot chapter,

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**Chapter 01: Wanderlust**

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_Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive._

**Josephine Hart**

* * *

Akihito's head swam as he groaned in pain.

He pushed his body forward but was prevented by a firm grip pushing him back to his previous lying position. He felt warm all over, but he was more acute to the burning sensation coming from his butt.

There was a glass of water. Several pills.

He frowned as the sight of them hauled back horrifying and humiliating flashbacks at him. He struggles fiercely. Then, a shot like a sting to his shoulder was instantly applied to his system.

The last thing he heard was a sharp bite of command as blackness overwhelmed him.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

"You were raped?" Takato's voice came out flatter and colder inside the room.

The words nailing Akihito thoroughly and cruelly after the man suffered in a long wait witnessing his miserable state and listening to his forced confession. Shrinking Akihito further on his position as shame and disgust flowed over him like a cold shower.

"This is the consequences of courting danger in line with that man. And I should be relieved that instead of outrightly killing you into bits and pieces he chose to break you, Akihito?" Takato demanded sarcastically, appearing ready to commit murder in broad daylight for Akihito's sake.

Akihito instantly stirred from his pathetic position to pin the bottle bleached blond a fiery, determined look. "That bastard did _not_ break me." The interjection that was stilted at best but its power of solid conviction soothed the rallying murderous urged from Takato.

"I know," Takato agreed with certainty, hinting the glowing pride of his tone at Akihito's ears even if his black eyes were subglacial, achieving that near flawless calm on the surface.

"Dibs to Asami Ryuuichi," Akihito claimed, ruining the moment instantly.

Takato twitched an eyebrow, and uttered a comment that could successfully thwart any further death defying attempts from Akihito. "And now, this is the result: Asami Ryuuichi's solution in teaching you a lesson had turned one Takaba Akihito to someone with an extreme case of masochism."

Akihito froze in mortification from this clear-cut observation which changed drastically as if to inflict damage to Takato by death glare alone. "He did not!" he contested vehemently.

Takato merely deigned him a mixture of exasperation, irritation and dark amusement in one go.

Inwardly, Akihito could not help but be grateful for this reaction. Pity had no place in his life and Akihito could really count on Takato not to treat him differently like he's some fragile, traumatized victim. Also mentally thankful, that his other best-friend, Kou was busy in his job project.

With Kou added into the mix, he knew that this won't end well.

_Fretting mother hens_, Akihito thought.

A slight tap on the shoulder jostled Akihito out from his musing. He barely resisted the urge to flinch from another's touch. Instinctively, he straightened, careful not to show visibly to Takato how unhinge he still was.

"Akihito," Takato began a steely tone underlying his next words, "never ever think that tears are a sign of weakness."

A second ticked by, then two.

Any emotions Akihito had kept under wraps finally spilled to its breaking point. He wept silently, shaking with self-loathing and hate-filled rage. More than anything else in the world, Akihito wanted to forget the shitstorm in the form of Asami Ryuuichi had dished him in for three fucking days.

Takato's silent support held on until Akihito cried himself to sleep.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

While nursing Akihito back to health and emotional condition, Takato's calm countenance did not reveal even a crack to where his dark thoughts were headed. Damning the source of his best-friend's latest situation won't do anything. Not to mention Asami Ryuuichi was an untouchable person. What could he do...

◊**{AWOL}◊**

A week later, the front page news dragged Akihito out of his funk.

_They looked good together, _Akihito thought as something inside him tightened in discomfort.

As a photographer, Akihito was adept in psycho-analyzing the human interaction in gleaning what was beneath the underneath. The beautiful actress was hopelessly in love to his escort, Asami, whose face was comparable to that of an ice king. Who knew what's behind that impassive expression?

_Well,_ Akihito reckoned_, rumors often had half-truths in them._

Word had it that Asami cared little for his playthings. The indomitable man took pleasures easily, never worrying about the consequences. No restraint. No remorse. A line of flings that seemed no end to it, as he left another discarded toy in his wake.

Akihito gave himself a mental shake. Such thing about Asami Ryuuichi was none of his business. He would not gave more than a rat's ass to this after confirming that he's safe from any sort of disease like syphilis or worse HIV/AIDS that man had brought with him after _that_ lesson. Whatever had transpired between them had cut to Akihito's character. He would not delve anymore further to that man's affairs.

Akihito then eyed thoughtfully the numerous brochures, several plane tickets and meal coupons that his grandfather had supplied him for his birthday. With the means already provided like golden platter, he could travel around the world to his heart's content. In addition, one perk of his job as a freelancer meant much more flexible schedule. Akihito even conveniently had forgotten Yama-san's betrayal. He had no furthermore obligation in working as a crime photojournalist to the turn-coat detective.

What he needed for now was a well deserved break. The stress from the past weeks seemed out to get him. With that decided, Akihito left the newspaper on the table, pulled out his reliable backpack from his closet which contained his visa, satellite phone, his bomber jacket, a bit of cash, a stash of sweet confectionaries, and his DSLR camera bag.

With a sense of exhilaration, he set off to his adventure.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

On second thought, Akihito opened the door to his apartment. Giving one last look at the front page, he rolled it to a ball and sailed it to the trash bin. Akihito would rather explicitly implied that he was not stalking, admiring the subject or something equally preposterous of the sort if anyone found it lying on top of his working table. Worst, someone might throw it at his face that his reason for leaving was jealousy.

As if.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

Takaba Akihito's self-sufficient, free spirited character was his most obvious attractive aspect. It was also his most dangerous aspect. Especially when the inherent wanderlust of his nature was roused to its slumber. It was as rare like rain in the desert for Akihito to pass a message to inform his friends and family out of obligation or politeness of how and where he was. His disappearing acts lasted for months to no end. It was truly an irksome tendency of Akihito because admittedly, all of his friends were worrywarts. And here was a footnote—that any return would be only due until Akihito decided when to.

So it came as an unwelcome surprise to one underworld crime-lord, Asami Ryuuichi, who unfortunately stumbled on it in the most critical time of his obsession.

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**Author's Notes:**

This is a what-if-scenario. We would be experimenting with this wanderlust-driven Akihito and how much this would change the cannon events in the VF series. In order to answer our curiosity of _how_ much different would Akihito might be in this path he had taken.

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_Before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	2. 1st Stop: Odd-Job as Adviser

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series, KHR, and Totally Captivated belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**AN: **Like I previously said, this is a what-if-scenario. In this AU setting, Takaba Akihito's delinquent beginnings paved a clear shot for him discreetly through the underworld affairs. Being Takaba Akihito as he is, he is in the vigilantism-side and still is. So in chapter 1 his wanderlust is in switched-on until his cousin, Hibari Kyouya sends him for an errand of macro-managing. Therein comes the first stop in his adventure.

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**Warnings:**

AU, MAJOR canon divergence, language, spoiler of manga VF Chapter 1: Love Prize

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**Chapter 02**

**1****st**** Stop: Odd-Job as Adviser**

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Takaba Akihito:_ Just to be clear. I really don't have any aspirations to become an underworld kingpin, that's Kyouya's job. And I absolutely do have zero interest to become a crime lord. It just happened that some of my friends dabbled into the underworld who made me do things— _*pauses and releases a put upon sigh* _That's what friends are for._

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One thing clearly known about Akihito was his spontaneity.

He really, really should not have made a call.

But the otherwise could get him into trouble.

Trouble he did not want coming right back into his ass.

(And it's not that kind of ass pounding, it was the kind of ass-whopping, ego-trip third degree blow up of temper courtesy of someone of importance.)

So he did.

A call to one specific person.

Contrary to everyone's popular belief in Namimori the whole mafia syndicate really, someone pulled through Hibari Kyouya's disciplinary guidance. Admittedly, Kyouya was not the most affectionate people, that was until a cute, 5 year old distant cousin was shacked into his territory courtesy of Takaba Haruka whose photography travels around the world was the perfect guise of their family's other not-so legal broker business.

Kyouya just reach fifteen that time, still young, but he admirably rose to the challenge as all carnivores should in the quickly changing world. He adapted.

He regarded Akihito like one usually do to an erratic black sheep prone to rebellious acts of mischief and scandal—extra-long fused tolerance. His method of discipline and restraining came in the form of channeling Akihito's free-spirited character to something beneficial for his squads of prefects.

That's how Akihito became phenomenal talent in stealth and speed radically developed.

It only stood to Akihito's humble beginnings as a stalker/spy in crime photography that Kyouya was the main reason why Akihito had always been able to think nimbly on his feet with efficient flexibility. Not only that, Kyouya's solid dominating presence throughout the years fully served the prime source of Akihito's stubbornness, tough resilient and independence.

Occasionally butting heads would insure that.

All in all it wasn't a bad place to grow normally, for what that word was tantamount in Hibari Kyouya's definition, anyway.

Still, it was knee-shaking to hear his cousin's voice even without the whole visual display.

"_Exploring,"_ Kyouya enunciated every syllable like a serpent tasting the air for any suspicious tricks.

Akihito kept his cheerfulness. "Yeah. Just like in the past."

Silence echoed like a gong from the other end, Kyouya mentally poking holes in his evaluation of Akihito's current bye-and-leave episode.

"_There is something I want you to do in return,"_ Kyouya began after a long while.

Something Akihito had expected. Kyouya usually shoved him to do some errands outside Namimori territory which meant this was in league with their family's associates.

"_I want to dispose a piece of paper the Triad has been nosing around,"_ Kyouya relayed with bold emphasis to the words dispose and Triad. "

Akihito was a bit concerned. "Did the moths get to it?"

Moths. A term for finder-keepers.

"Someone did. It remains untouched."

Huh. Apparently, someone was waiting for the right opportunity. An opportunity, Kyouya would snatch without any conscience restraint.

His cousin was a notorious spoilsport among the yakuza.

"_Another thing. It is highly imperative for you to drop by in Gangnam, Korea."_

Akihito had an idea of who he would deal in that place.

"_Full report on how it went."_ Was Kyouya's way of dismissal ending the call.

Miracle of miracles, underneath that intimidating, I-will-bite-and-eat-you personified catchphrase, Kyouya was a worrywart at heart.

Best to keep that detail to myself, like always, Akihito supposed.

It seemed his first destination was set.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

**{Gangnam, Korea}**

"I can't help but wonder why I can't take you to my bed, Akihito. I'm undeniably handsome so why the reticence." Mookyul mused out loud in a dramatic mournful fashion from his reclining position on the couch.

Akihito paused in mid-drink of his espresso. With photographer' eyes, he unashamedly appraised the other's assets. The body before him in its half-naked state was that of an Adonis, seemingly sculpted meticulously by an artist, its owner emitting a devil-may-care seductive sensuality in all angles.

It was the sensuality not the body which unwelcomingly reminded Akihito of a certain golden-eyed man.

Akihito made a face. He mentally swatted the thought away before any bias comparison could be made.

"Having sex with you requires no emotional commitment, and frankly that's like doing a something without passion. Nothing to be satisfied from it," Akihito admitted dryly, and took a sip from his cup.

The stunned silence coming from Mookyul had made Akihito to raise an eyebrow a nonverbal 'What?'.

Mookyul looked as possibly gobsmacked as he could. "Who popped your cherry?"

Akihito choked and spluttered. "W-Whatever gave you that idea?!" Oops. He had his big moth. Quickly, he had to change the topic to avoid the minefield.

Mookyul was a keen friend. Always knowing if he lied.

Akihito pedaled forward to the crux of the matter of his visit. "Why are you so creepy clingy at me by the way? You dropped nearly hundred worth of messages and voice-mail to Kyouya's special business number. One would assume that something colossally catastrophic must have happened to you. It's a wonder why Kyouya did not come for his beat-up visits. Sending me instead is mercy, Mookyul.

His cathartic rant was sooner out from one ear to another. Apparently, something was top priority for Mookyul to desperately bypass Kyouya's short-fused temper. Must be a lover's tiff, which was sort of strangely surprising coming from Mookyul.

"I'll pay you both triple for the trouble, Akihito," Mookyul spoke in a business tone.

Hearing that tone, confirmed a relationship dilemma of sorts. The adviser job it was then.

His tenacity was restrained, Akihito had to wait with a simple prompting, "What's up?"

"My father," Mookyul answered, jaw set.

Akihito forced the sneer down with herculean effort. He and the man never see each other eye to eye. Not to mention, the man disturbed him in creeper level.

Akihito hit the nail on the head with a reference. "For a big boss yourself, you sure do play Juliet's part very well. Did you and your Romeo have a falling out because of him?"

Mookyul forced out a dry laugh. "We rarely catch up with each other ever since you became a crime photographer but you know more than you let on, Akihito."

So Mookyul was still bitter about his revenue of job. Akihito had thought he had explained the right reasons. But there's another time for that subject. For now, he must focus to the present relevant matter.

"That field of profession is worth the trouble. I'm keeping a personal eye and ear out for some people," Akihito shared and yanked the conversation back on its right track. "Does your Romeo understand what you are in our world? By now, I can see that someone is pulling out the choose-me-or-else as a counter move."

A speculative gleam entered Mookyul's eyes. "Very well-informed."

The words implied his Intel/stalking ways. Akihito ignored it.

"If that person loves you so much, he must offer an equal price as the equation includes the package of being a kingpin. A role of a partner is a dangerous position. Surely he must have known what he's in for to entangle with the likes of you. Crime lord air is something you can't erase since it's who you are. Unless..." Akihito trailed off observing the guise of almost innocent mask plastered on Mookyul's face.

Akihito mentally face-palmed. Of course, Romeo knew but not to a closer extent.

"Do come clean to each other, Mookyul. Both of you certainly needs assurance." Akihito shook his head to interrupt Mookyul's obvious answer of 'not lacking intimacy' or something like that.

(Something he would rather not know.)

"Not just actions. Words of assurance. Truth could be ruthlessly cruel but in your case, it will lighten up a load or two," Akihito finished with an encouraging nod.

He personally knew from experience that lies could be a safeguard but at the same time it also drove people apart to mere strangers.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

A week later, Akihto's ribs suffered from a crushing hug from Mookyul. He allowed the it just this once as he eyed he relieved, terrifyingly manic expression on his friend's face.

Really, one of the important keys in maintaining committed relationship was through communication. For an instant world, sometimes the basic could be taken for granted.

(How ridiculously ironic this advice would be a year later.)

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**Up Next: **

2nd Stop: Rapunzel's Therapist

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**Before leaving, please leave a review ^-^**


	3. A Kicker Throwback

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Chapter 03: **

**A Kicker Throwback**

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*ring* *ri-*

"What is it?" Akihito murmured drowsily from the bed, answering the phone call by reason that it was the special ring tone he had set to one person only.

It was Kyouya. "Do you by any chance had a bloodhound on your trail?"

Akihito was immediately alerted, the haze of sleep completely wipe out by rising dread.

"I have not done any-" A flashback of his recent scuffle with one golden-eyed man emerged. He could not say an outright lie. Kyouya had an innate radar when lied to. So...

"I tripped on a blunder during my stakeout. We-"

_Firm, large hands pushed his legs apart, stretching him to his limits. Feeling vulnerably exposed, a hot flush of shame washed over him. He sensed the fixed leering golden eyes violating him more in just a stare. His pent-up climax held up tightly by cock ring, refusing what he needed. He was pulled back, arching closer as the hard length pistoning in and out in a torturous, slow pace._

_"P-Please, d-don't..."_

Akihito gave himself a harsh mental shake to dispel memories away. "-compromised." After three fucking days. "We parted ways after that."

"Hn."

Kyouya was clearly far from convince but he would have to take Akihito's words. Matters regarding Asami's lesson was something Akihito would take down to his grave.

"Someone's dog is sniffing around on your background a month ago."

Akihito need not to guest the most likely culprit.

"And you just inform me now?" He asked deadpanned. A warning would be additionally helpful. Not that it ever stop him before.

"Nothing important was found aside from the usual subterfuge." Kyouya's tone was dismissingly nonchalant.

Akihito force himself to not a dead giveaway. Kyouya would proceed to interrogation if he overreacted.

"You would not give me anything less, Kyouya." Moving forward, Akihito tacked on, "Is there anything else?"

"You're getting sidetracked by your wanderlust. You did not get lost with the disposal, haven't you?"

He mentally groaned from the acerbic reminder. He almost forgot about that. But to whom should he hand over the deed?

"Give me a starter. Who was the original owner?" Akihito queried. For legal documents, fundamentals were a good place to begin.

"The Baishe triad. " Was his cousin's tightly succinct reply, coloring with distaste.

Akihito frowned deeply. For someone like Kyouya with a maternal side from a clan of assassin originating in China, his grudge was really something Akihito had no suicidal intention to pry to. However,...

"In that case, the best option is to return the deed back on the head of the Biashe. Better start with a clean slate and all that," Akihito decided firmly, railroading Kyouya's undisguised objection smoothly with the last note.

There was a thoughtful silence from the other end. After a long minute, Kyouya finally said in a tone comparable to a glacier, "Be on guard. The Triad isn't known not to shoot the messenger down."

"Always." Akihito kept the warning at heart. That was a stern order. Something that Kyouya usually did not have to add.

The call was cut off after that.

Now first, was Intel from _Chrome._

◊**{AWOL}◊**

A day after that call, after a thorough reading of the detailed dossier during the impromptu meet-and-greet Romeo whose real name was Ewon Jung and the bestfriend, the awkward tense air burst when Akihito accidentally spitted out his orange soda on Mookyul that resulted the ice to break between Akihito and Ewon Jung.

Akihito was far gone out in his pinch-me moments to spare a quick apology to his friend which ended him being nearly strangled to death by a pissed-off, debonair cool air vacuumed Mookyul, and a hysterical laughing Ewon at the background who was doing his best to sooth the riled dark-haired kingpin.

Akihito and Ewon had became fast friends after that, setting the clubhouse on fire.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

The next morning after suffering through a hung-over, Akihito's mental faculties gingerly rebooted for a brainstorm.

Would he still proceed to his original plan?

Not that they were going to be buddies because of the same source of trauma.

It was no-brainer.

Come what may.

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_Before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	4. A Kicker Throwback II

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Author's Notes:** Just a head up, You might notice that the AWOL's wavelength is in its different own compared from what my other fics.

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**General Warnings (MIND THEM):**

alternate universe, MAJOR cannon divergence, implied undercover, Vigilante Akihito

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**Chapter 04: **

**Kicker Throwback II**

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Liu Feilong watched with disguised boredom at the crowd mingling around him in the luxurious yacht. He would have appreciate the golden copper clouds streaking a fiery sunset over the horizon of the southeast coast of Haeundae beach, if not for the addition of bustling partying people around him. He would also rather prefer his own lonesome company than navigating the social niceties during his stay in Busan, South Korea.

But he could not outright reject Park In-Su's invitation. The man was one of the few people his deceased father had as trusted allies. Moreover, Feilong could not really afford to offend the man who supported his leadership once the heavy role of the Baishe head fell on him right after his imprisonment had ended.

However, it earned Park In-Su a favor from him. A favor which the man used to bid him in joining the older man's extravagant taste of festivities.

Feilong almost wished he could have taken Yoh with him. At the very least, he could have free entertainment watching any confident female or sometimes male guests that failed miserably to get any positive reactions from the usual default dour face Yoh had. But then again, Feilong did not want his second-in-command to hover over him all the time like a looming mass of bodyguard which was why he assigned Yoh for a better use as the in-charge of the local business transactions in Hong Kong while he obligingly attended this party.

Right now, Feilong's only consolation was that Kang-Dae, the heir of In-Su, had not left his side. Their combined duo practically made them the power couple of the night, attracting genders of all kind.

In his field of work, Feilong utilized his alluring beauty and coupled with the danger of being one of the Triad's main topdogs, it was a labelled distinction that only elevated his worth higher. As it was, he remained aloof and interested at the envious admiring stares spearing at his person.

He took another sip from his tumbler, giving a silent props to the elder Park's discriminating tasteful palette. Suffering to stay beside Kang-Dae as an arm candy was worth taking extra shots. He doubted downing them like they it's going out of style would do him any harm. His body was too used to heavy amount of alcohol anyway.

By his fifth shot, Feilong's instinct had sensed that something was wrong. More so, when he subtly covered a hand over his yawning mouth.

Feilong peered at the man beside him by the railing. "Did you spike my drink with something, Kang-Dae?"

Kang-Dae's eyes glinted with dark amusement. "I did."

Feilong eyes narrowed. "Is this one of your pranks?"

His vision swayed then.

Before he could set loose of his anger, the ground seemed to soften underneath his shoes. He clung helplessly onto Kang-Dae's shoulder when his sight dimmed completely.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

He was semi-aware of the lips grazing on his.

"Such heavenly smell that only belonged exclusively to you, Liu Feilong."

That voice was frighteningly familiar.

Something shifted beside him.

"It's your fault for tempting me."

_This can't be happening,_ he mentally denied as the owner of the voice spoke again.

"I'll join you soon. A feast with you should be satisfyingly longer."

Feilong's body shivered of chilled anger and slithering dread as the explosive truth slapped right into his face. He did not need further imagining to what this person, _not _brother was up to.

Something silky covered him as the hand raked over his hair. He almost jerked away from the touch.

"Don't worry anymore. I'll take care of you from now on."

He slightly jostled as the other move away from the bed, leaving him. The steps fading away outside.

Disgust washed over Feilong. More to himself than to his assailant. He had thought he had learned his lesson well. He had never thought he would went through this betrayal again, this time without someone closer as a sacrifice. This reminder, had served to open the deep soul-shattering pain of the past back into him.

_No._

He had thrown away his childish tendency of seeking approval.

No _more._

He was no longer that pathetic, helpless fool in distress.

_I refuse to stay as a self-inflicted victim. Again._

He was Liu Feilong, clan head of the Baishe triad.

A determined grim set teeth decorated Feilong's lips. Unsteadily, Feilong rose from the bed. A funny thought then struck him. His tolerance through the years as voluntary guinea pig to various drugs might had made him somewhat immune to their effects.

Or so he thought, when his vision blurred. Tapping for his energy reserves, he wasted no time to leave the room.

Hours must have gone by since the party started. The place was seemingly vacated with human presence. Opening another door with every trick he knew, his ears picked up the rather eerie silence down the corridors that was then punctuated by an unmistakable fwhooting sound of a silencer.

There was a thump right above him. Instinctively, Feilong skittered back for a safe place to hide.

"Y-You?! I-Impo−!"

He realized someone else was gate-crushing the party with envious ease. He did not linger for long. The blessed distraction was his advantage.

Sighting the deck's railings, a hysterical self-deprecating laugh came out from him. _Is there anyone else I can trust?_

The effort he wasted subtracted a portion of his depleting strength. His knees folded. Gripping the railing tightly, he took a moment to study the calm, dark waters. It sobered him enough to feel any changes within his body.

...He was surprisingly intact.

Whatever kind of feast that person was thinking of the sharks roaming in the sea would most likely take the first bite.

He refused to allow anyone to take advantage of him. to use him as they please.

Never again.

Over his dead body.

With his heart pounding, Feilong took a deep breath before diving into the water. recoiling on how cold the sea water was to his naked skin. Adjusting his body into a swimming position to get away from the place. He was far enough before a booming sound had wrecked the dark silence.

He made no turn to look back.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

It went like this.

Mookyul had thrown out an exclusive beach party in Paradise Hotel in Busan. Half for the cause of intimate get-together with Ewon and another half a reunion celebration with Akihito.

The grand gesture from Mookyul had Akihito to resignedly oblige like a grateful friend he was. Besides, such prompt prolific moments was only on special time with their conflicting schedule rarely matching.

The party came to an end past midnight, when a frantic call from one of Akihito's contacts came in. The caller all but burst in joyous relief after finding out that Akihito was in near location of 'exchange gifts' transaction, and from which someone who was another neutral informant Akihito was affiliated with was coerce to be tied up as one of the gifts, resulting a cold, stone-faced Akihito _(no one should touch what is his_) to go vigilante mode to stealthily gate-crush on the exclusive yacht party that was unfortunately arranged the within the same day.

With Akihito on his first, not really the very first time, self-appointed mission, Mookyul too, was on-board.

(Privately, Akihito had counted Mookyul's assistance for the benefit of chancing leverage against whoever was the mastermind of this nefarious event and earning manly noble points in the eyes of Ewon.)

So off they went with an arsenal of weapons. And extra lookouts.

They were in the right time and place after pitching a grenade on the yacht and succeeding a getaway to find a floating body, trapped by sea weeds at one or two kilometers away.

Akihito revived the said body, thinking at first that it was one of the victims that had managed to escape. Mookyul then offered to take care of the rest and somewhat abandoned Akihito to the last victim as he made himself scarce.

Akihito only wondered why Mookyul seemed to be spooked as if a ticking timed-bomb just landed on his lap.

Warily, Akihito eyed the long-haired, beautiful man.

He had a creeping bad feeling about this.

Akihito stared. Harder.

The drinking from last night must have fried his memory cells. His mental faculties a lot slower until it rebooted after the nurses had cleaned out sea weeds from his charge, and when the medical arrangement had been settled inside his hideout.

All he could think was−

_Holy rotten shit of luck..._

The twisted ridiculous cosmic joke was at play on him.

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_Before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	5. Rapunzel

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series, KHR, and Totally Captivated belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

* * *

**AN: **I have to say that I LOVE this AU version of Liu Feilong.

* * *

**Warnings (MIND them):**

AU, MAJOR canon divergence, language, spoiler of manga VF Chapter 1: Love Prize, implied undercover, Vigilante Akihito

* * *

**Chapter 05**

**Rapunzel**

* * *

His flee-to-survive instincts had Feilong waking up with a start, pitching himself out of the bed to make a run for it. Abruptly, he faltered. The muscles in his feet refused to cooperate as they folded down from the strain of his actions. Not a less bit disoriented from light-headedness, he stumbled back on the bed, clutching the bed sheets as if they could fortify him with necessary strength.

"I hope you don't always wake up like," A male voice dryly commented several feet away from him.

Instantly, the unfamiliarity of the voice made frigid. In a sharp whip-lash turn that made a soft popping sound, Feilong faced the owner of the voice coming from his right. The prettiest shade of honeyed-hazel eyes that he ever saw in his life calmly scrutinized him while lounging from the large sliding windows cushion seats.

"Good morning." Was the belated cordial greeting in Korean as Feilong took the other with cautious, measuring eyes.

The auburn or was it strawberry blond, haired younger man appeared quite harmless and laid-back in his first impression. Feilong knew though that first impression could be blindingly deceptive in his personal experience.

On guard, Feilong eyes trained at the other as he sipped his cup of tea slowly like he was savoring the most of it. The silence from the man spoke without hostility between them that somehow unnerved Feilong.

"W-What happened?.." there, it was a good start as any. But as he said so, Feillong nearly grimaced, irritated of why did he have to stutter in nervousness. He's a boss of the Chinese triad. He should be better than this.

The man paused from his drink, and deadpanned, "I should be the one asking that."

Feilong then remembered everything. The last recall was of warm lips, reviving him from the cold death and forcibly drag him back to life. The image was blurry but he could not mistake those striking doe eyes.

"Who are you?" Feilong asked brusquely.

There was a snort from the man.

"Your manner are disappointingly deficient for such a beauty." The tone was of flippant criticism which successfully boiled Feilong's hardly restrained temper.

To add insult to injury, the man made a show of sniffing him out.

"You stink." Was the rude judgement. The man jutted his chin at the door by his left. "Bathroom is that way."

Feilong did not know where he got his strength from. Only that he found himself gritting his teeth in controlled anger as he stalked carefully (It was a save. He need no further embarrassment from his battered dignity by being an uncivilized ingrate to his evidently rescuer.) away from the infuriating man that could compete a certain golden eyed man from his blacklist of top-notch assholes that reinvented the combo of self-possessed smugness posture.

Inside the well-spaced closet-bathroom combo room, Feilong paused in long-delayed realization that the younger man responsible for getting under his skin with obnoxious ease had ingeniously distracted him from getting the answer of his second question (and the unspoken incoming line-up).

After a moment, he shrugged it off. Playing anonymity was very fine by him. It's not like their connection would last that long anyway.

(Fast-forward several decades later, that conceived dismissal thought was still being proven wrong.)

◊**{AWOL}◊**

Feilong was left alone.

The younger man left without a verbal word to him with the exception of a letter with a I.D. keyed card on the nightstand addressed to him. He opened the letter, waiting for the inevitable conditions to be issued.

_Rapunzel,_

A nerve on his forehead twitched in irritation from the label titled on his person.

_I have an urgent call to a friend. You have been gone far too long inside your bubble bath_ *another nerve twitched* _for us to talk._

A trace of unmistakable revulsion trickled in his insides with the bitter taste of betrayal from this reminder. He barely resisted the urge to scrub his skin once more.

_This lighthouse is located in Oryukdo Island, southern part of Busan._

Feilong then warily looked inside the room. The stranger was too honestly generous in sharing their whereabouts to be considered as an enemy of his. With the details of what kind of place he was in, his wariness was replaced by curiosity. Moving closer to the large, sliding windows that was covered by thick burgundy curtains, he parted them and slid the closed windows to open.

He almost gasped at the breathtakingly tranquil never endless blue shrouded by wispy mists, creating a haunting, serene beauty. The gentle whisper of the air bided him to relax unintentionally. With no little awed wonder, he looked down, mind quickly calculating how high he was above the ground. About five stores high. On a cliff.

Or rather, as he peered at the other five islands, the lighthouse stood steadfastly on a mini-island.

It was a magnificent, idyllic setting that could certainly fit Rapunzel.

A part of Feilong morbidly mused if he was marooned in this place. Returning his attention back on the paper, what he read next made him incredibly grateful and downright mystified.

_You conked out for five days. Three of those spent in washing out the drugs from your system. Two was lying onto semi-comatose state. The doctor declared you were fine by the fifth day. Food supply is already restocked in the 2nd floor down. Cooking is self-service. Use the satellite phone in the kitchen to order if you want to eat something else, there is a list of instant order via boat, fetch your meal by the pier. Clean up any mess you made. There is no stay-in servant to wait hand-and-foot in this place._

Feilong had frozen solid by then, understanding the instructions.

...This was the oddest arrangement to encounter for a would-be-captor scenario.

_Do whatever you want as long as the entire lighthouse and the islands remain safely intact. That is, if you choose to stay._

He could not help but smile wryly. His guess of being marooned was not far off but not near altogether.

_You have a keyed card on the nightstand. It is your means for entrance and exit to any free room in the lighthouse. Do not lost it._

Feilong paused, flickering a look at the doorknob-less door. Needless to say, the door was a platinum-silver kind state of the art technology. Actually, everything was uniquely customized inside the enormous octagonal lighthouse. Evidently, no expense was spared in art and construction. The stranger could be described as a touch of class, science-y, ϋber rich, hermit.

_If you wish to leave, you are free to go after locking the door and destroying the keyed card. Phone this #767, Hwang Shin-Woo the caretaker, he will accommodate you. Automobiles are on the garage, first floor. Other rides are by the pier for sea-worthy vessel. _

It galled Feilong how the younger man had simply instructed his welfare like they were equals. The fair treatment he received was somehow...refreshingly candid. Something he did not know how he should feel about.

_On the last note, if you chance by someone else coming over other than Hwang Shin-Woo, try not to scare him/her._ Feilong's eyes narrowed at the jab. _Either he/she is there to trim and tidy up the garden or to turn the lighthouse during a storm._

_I will see you when I see you._

—_A_

Feilong could not decide whether to feel elated by the fact that he was confirmed not a captive or to be mildly offended by the stranger's flippant liberty to do whatever he wanted with underlying no-strings attach but still profoundly noble to his guest while at it.

Thoughtfully, he perused the place. It was high-ceiling. The four poster bed made of antique mahogany had nearly occupied the room with its huge size. Across from him, was a writing desk with a built-in bookshelves and a computer. There were no cabinets and closets. Clothing was already arranged inside the spacious bathroom. Right in the middle of the room was a medium size floor-hole enough for three people to use the winding stares that pass through the floors beneath and above this room.

A movement from the southern curtains draw his attention.

He stepped forward through the open door which lead to the balcony. This time, flowery blossoms from potted cacti mixed over the salty sea air that whiffed around him. A view of a charming, city that lit up like rainbows of twinkling lights several kilometers ahead between the blue wide yawn greeted him.

The imagery made Feilong's lips pursed in irritation.

All in all, it was a classy-minimalist design for a bachelor. The entirety of the place screamed with attitude as it perpetually mocked him to be Rapunzel in its owner stead.

Question was should he stay over to indulge the invitation of the rather infuriating smug but also fascinatingly strange stranger?

There was only one positive answer.

It was either yes or no.

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	6. No Harm, No Foul

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series, KHR, Totally Captivated, and Okane ga Nai belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

* * *

**Warnings (MIND them):**

AU, MAJOR canon divergence, language, spoiler of manga VF Chapter 1: Love Prize, implied undercover, Vigilante Akihito

* * *

**Chapter 06**

**No Harm, No Foul**

* * *

Akihito slammed the door open and stormed in, a figurative thundercloud upon his head, so self-possessingly careless of how he barged in unceremoniously inside the Mookyul's office, interrupting a business associate who made time to pay a personal visit to Eun Mookyul.

Akihito skidded into full-stop when his eyes landed on the notorious loan shark, Kanou Somuku, he aptly nicknamed Megatron and his sidekicks Tweedledee and Tweedledum. All three were garbed in three-piece charcoal black suits.

"Bad timing. Do excuse me." Nevertheless, Akihito's entire visage was anything but apologetic when he spoke those words.

Mookyul was amused as he waved Akihito in. "We are just about to wrap up. Do stay as our witness."

Kanou and his subordinates had taken the declaration to shamelessly appraised Akihito's presence.

Akihito returned the inspection. He certainly looked so out of their league. Wearing an over sized knitted sweater on top, paired by weather-beaten gray skinny jeans and sneakers in all. Whatever the guests of trio were thinking, Akihito did not give a toss. First impressions or preconceived notions always served to his advantage in maintaining his mask.

When the signing was over, Kanou asked point-blanked to Mookyul, "Your flavor of the month?"

Briefly, Akihito and Mookyul traded a look.

"No. He's my most trusted adviser," Mookyul answered for both of them. He slanted a look at Akihito and introduced him straightforwardly to the trio. "Hibari-san, meet Kanou-san."

In formal courtesy of the Underworld, one's own name was not too easily given. It had to be earned. Hard. The safest bet to both parties was to introduced the family name to remain cordial.

"...Forgive my insolence, Hibari-dono." The extended apology was tighteningly forced out from Kanou. The twins dipped their selves to a 90 degrees bow. Meeting any Hibari in neutral grounds was a rare chance. Like one in a billion lucky encounters that usually ending up the other to hightailing their asses in gear for self-preservation.

Awkward silence followed.

"At ease, men." That was as good as noncommittally dismissing the offense done from Akihito, his mood souring more as another layer of anonymity was shed out from him. He usually dislike throwing his maternal side family name in the open. Detested it even. However, Mookyul was only looking out for him in that offhandedly, arrogant manner of his in warding off far less unnecessary attention.

Kanou had taken Akihito's words as a cue to dismiss themselves. "It's a pleasure doing business with you both."

It spoke a lot that Mookyul personally and generously ushered the trio out. Not a moment spare for friendly drinking, leveling up Akihito's importance several notches.

Akihito was quite aware of the pensive glance Kanou threw out to him. In response, Akihito gave the man a wink. He thought he saw the other cringing slightly as he did so.

Akihito only shook his head from the Hibari name's effect.

The mood even turned somber when the reason for his visit was put on display for Mookyul.

Sharing this one was for his bestfriend's peace of mind.

Any fall-out for his self-appointed mission could at least provide a culprit if needed be.

◊**{AWOL}◊**

A legal-sized envelope was on the desk.

And Akihito's stare seemed to pulverize the thing to dust particles.

"What had gotten you into boss mode, Akihito?" Mookyul's inquiry was answered by a forefinger stomping a tap on the said envelope.

_It better be not those arrange marriage proposal or archaic matchmaking of his or I'll wring his neck again because I had to chase out-_Mookyual's inner ramblings screeched into a halt when he recognized the documents which was calligraphed elegantly with Chinese characters on his hands.

It had taken a full minute before Mookyul mouthed, "...How?"

"Kyouya." Was Akihito's succinct answer.

The word alone was enough for Mookyul to know how and why. If there was one family in the Underworld business powerfully dangerous in staying neutral for any safekeeping of a fallen's proprietary rights, the Hibari family designated mainly in Japan was the most outstanding of all. And one Hibari Kyouya had always had the sneakiest party pooper in the family's fearsome reputation.

"And what better way to dispose it than returning these papers back to its true owner." Was added as an afterthought by Akihito.

Mookyul had to gape his mouth open at that. "You-You are going to simply hand the deed over just like that?!"

Akihito nodded.

"No negotiation?"

A nod again.

"Not even a stipulation of any sorts?"

Akihito let out a disparage sigh from Mookyul's dramatics. "It's no big deal. That was what I decided even after I encountered the said clan head in a hand-basket-" A stink eye look drilled Mookyul. "-you conveniently left me with."

There was a pair of incredulous, disbelieving stare for a moment before Mookuyl wiped a fake tear from witnessing this Hibari Akihito Miracle. Such times like this, he could not decide if Akihito was heaven sent or only delaying a devious two-faced shadow mirror persona.

One thing was certainly sure though, Akihito was grudgingly pleased that setting a meeting with Liu Feilong was a done uphill hurdle.

"You're really wasted in that photo crime-journalist stint of yours, Akihito." Mookyul was too busy studying the deed every prime east Asian Kingpin and even Russia was on the hunt for years to see how Akihito's eyes snapped at him calculating a dig to his comment.

"Owning the deed in my hands is like asking for a full-on vendetta from the Baishe." Mookyul put back the documents inside the envelope. "Not really worth the risk." He was thinking of the love of his life, Jung Ewon.

When he lifted his head, Mookul spied the well-satisfied pleased expression on Akihito's expression. "What?"

Akihito's smile widened. "When the mighty free-fall in the name of love, they tend to be self-sacrificing."

Mookyul swore until his last breath that his cool exterior did no way slip even the slightest bit as he returned with sanctimonious, knowing smirk covering what was left after his subtle blush. "Sure. Though I doubt yours would pale in comparison with mine."

There was zero bet on it. His friendship with Akihito made him quite accustomed how bat-shit leechy bent to destruction Akihito's admirers' could be.

Akihito snorted derisively at his words.

Well, it was way much fun this way. A willfully, densely obtuse Akihito would only stir the simmering pot for Mookyul's front row personal entertainment. Akihito was not the only one keeping watchful tabs in Underworld gossip grapevine.

Mookual tacked on instead in curiosity, "Where did you stuffed Liu Feilong?"

"Rapunzel's inside the tower."

The straight answer and nickname burst peals of laughter from Mookyul. Akihito's penchant for silly anecdotes and naming those that had to earn his respect first was aggravatingly damaging to pride. "Probably should not say that word right back on his face. He could strangle you-"

"With what?" Akihito feigned a question. "His hair?"

They both shared a round of laughter after that.

When they recovered, Akihito commented dryly. "For someone who turned white as ghost and abandoning me to baby-sit, I have this feeling that you intimately know him. Like friends."

Mookyul was affronted. "We are not _that_ close. Please. He'd suck out mu fun even the entire world if he could by staying gloomy emo all the time. His heavy drapes however, prevented that darkness to spread around."

"Definitely closer, judging by that last note," Akihito interpreted with a pointed uplifting of eyebrows.

Mookyul did not spill. What he gave was a suggestive wink. "I don't kiss and tell. Akihito."

Akihito nodded, taking his answer on face-value. "Friends with benefits most likely."

His bestfriend was preparing himself to leave. Mookyul observed the decisive resolve of Akihito. "Do you have at least a basic plan before you go off like a bulldozer on Liu Feilong?"

Akihito paused by the door. "I'm going to put on a show."

"A show?" Mookyul parroted in confusion.

Akihito was smiling sagely. "A reality check." Saluting a goodbye, he was gone before Mookyul could clarify what he was up to.

Whatever Akihito was going to dish out, he's know anyway if it passed with flying colors. Besides, there was a personal matter Mookyul was looking forward to. His very own wily, golden fox, Ewon.

With a far less holier glint in his eyes, Mookyul commanded on the intercom for his midday snack.

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**AN: **There is a drop-by to our fave dragon in Japan due up next.

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**REVIEW BOOSTER for us, anyone?**


	7. De Nial Isn't a River in Egypt

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Okane ga Nai belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Author's Notes:**

Asami-sama has always been unapologetically honest of his desire/wants/intention to sweep Akihito-kun off his feet. There is a plotline in there that I cannot resist to twist differently.

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**De Nial Isn't a River in Egypt**

* * *

Hindsight is 20/20.

One crimelord should thrice think of giving in to his urges to play with Takaba Akihito if he could just discerned the result that would bite his little Asami to blue balls in the later or rather sooner future.

* * *

Asami Ryuuichi, a man with immeasurable sex appeal discharging from every pore of his existence whose presence radiated something dangerously tempting and ominously threatening was hands down with no doubt not one to be categorized as pure goodness incarnated. He never was. But then again, how can one differentiate between what's good and evil when it came to him.

One could not argue that the devil himself in human-incarnated form was a little more apt description.

He never claimed to be a kind man or a good person.

But Asami could play nice anytime and anywhere it suited him and naturally at that. In addition, his talent for fiendish machinations was an irksome innate talent of his that was never good for his unlucky victimized opponents.

If there was one thing Asami Ryuuichi could find fault with himself (in all honesty, not really) it was none other than his sick pleasure of dehumanizing a dissenter to his or her place and make them like it (provided it's anything close to sexual).

It was a perverted fix which he had no desire to restrict himself (given whenever he had time for it).

So when one situation presented him a handbasket, a _pleasant _distraction of a photographer lurking about. Ryuuichi's interest was piqued in a good way.

Near enough, he eyed the bristling spitfire who fought tooth and nail to get out of Suoh's clutches with relaxed disinterest. The boy was easy on the eye. A kid in his world. And probably the same as the rest with sheep mentality on authoritative figures that would sooner turn-tail into spineless half-wits.

A little scare would do.

"Kindly handle the cute intruder with care. A merchandise like him isn't good to buy if it's not nice to look at," Ryuuichi inserted with faux consideration and stalked forward, expecting fear to trickle into the boy.

Those liquid hazel eyes glowed in scorn at him.

"Just great. The certified perverted dirty old man is making a pass at me. I can die happy now."

At this insolence, Kirishima automatically kneed the boy in the stomach. The boy slumped down. But like a flash, he aimed a kick -for a momentary beat there, it seemed the boy intended to aim straight at Kirishima's balls- knocking Kirishima off his feet and chanced their collective astonishment that followed to break into surprisingly lightning swift run.

Only Kirishima's low groan of mortified pain kick-started an elated Ryuuichi to volley Suoh an order to pursue the boy.

However at the end of the unexpected chase, Ryuuichi left was empty-handed as the prize flung out of their reach by vaulting over the railing. This defiance only raised the ante of his anticipation to teach the boy a lesson.

An appetizing lesson he would enjoyed immensely for a while at least.

With an unholy gleam in those golden-amber eyes, he inspected the materials to play with to bend the will of the insolent spitfire…

* * *

The beginning of the lesson was a harmless teasing, an alpha predator violating his defenceless prey through eyes alone, relishing the dawning trepidation that intensified each moment their eyes made contact.

Until, Asami encountered several snags in his best laid-out plans, namely, Akihito Takaba with profoundly sex-kitten enticement few people just seemed to be born with.

Everything about Takaba was appealing to his taste, the pleasing scent of the young man's velvety, silky moon-beamed skin, a lithe toned body so sensitive to the slightest touch, mouth-watering rounded gluteus, and legs that went forever.

The owner of the wholesome package was a sure head-turner.

And he had all the time in the world for a taste which would suffice the urges of his fascination.

* * *

This exquisite sight of weakness was nothing to be ignored. The boy trembled, turned between shamed excitement and awakening arousal forced by a douse of drug into his defiant system.

It was the eyes that hooked him in. Glazed hazel were alighted with admonishment and coupled with words to chastise his captor.

Daring him.

And now his forefinger and middle-finger dug into the boy's sweet spot where not even a willful will could stay intact in hard resistance, grinding in slow deliberate circles and working them deeply in restricted pressure.

He was rewarded by labored breathing and soft moans even a auburn locks shook back and forth in futile denial of the pleasure those bucking hips had found.

Undaunted. Helplessly beaten yet unwilling to yield in full surrender.

He showed his appreciation of the boy's spirit by spreading those toned legs wider to lick a taste, holding those widely conflicted eyes with his own unabashed pair.

Red flushed down the velvety smooth skin and lithe muscles on the abdomen quivered.

It was an intoxicating torment that enraptured him as a wave of lust rushed over him, capturing his senses in a firm grip.

_Corrupt Takaba with pain and pleasure, _his primal instincts practically commanded_._

He would do that to his heart's content.

* * *

Ryuuichi studied the sight critically with mixed emotions.

Takaba Akihito intrigued him at first sight. His interest furthermore inflamed when the boy managed to escape his guards and him by jumping off the building in suicidal bravado.

And now, it had lead to this: uncovered nakedness resulted by the boy's own actions of tossing around on his bed.

Considering the number of willing lovers woman, specifically, he had in his lifetime, the young man's body should not matter anymore. But for damnation's sake it did. Ryuuichi could feel the stirring hardness of his loins—again!

The boy was untouched. No. was a virgin. He took care of it without restraint. The desire was too strong to ignore. It's a maddening magnetic compulsion to be inside the young man's soft and pliant body until no rational thinking existed. And the feeling of each climax was overwhelming. He could not get enough of it.

_The ecstasy and sensational feeling was like no other. It was mindboggling, addictive and enrapturing._ By the end, all his coherent logic and rational thinking and prior reservations proverbially faded to the wind.

Ryuuichi found himself charmed by his prey.

* * *

He lost himself in count of the rounds their coupling had passed by.

But should that really matter?

They were naked, bodies dripping with sweat and other fluids, limbs entwined together, movements in rhythm of one maddening passionate explosion. Soft against hard, domineering and punishing kisses against a fighter, and fingers touching to lit up paths of flames. They were two people drowning in the sea of dark and heady lust.

It was just unadulterated sex.

It does not mean anything.

What matters was the name that fell in surrender as the boy splattered his semen to the point he looked completely debauched and ravished by Ryuuichi's unforgiving insatiable defilement.

It was no more than that.

Absolutely nothing.

* * *

It had been worthwhile challenge to screw with Takaba Akihito, his convenient flavour of the week so to speak. (And the very first male he had taken on bed.)

In reality, pleasures went stale. And like all others that came before as his bed-mates, Ryuuichi's passing fancy was done and over.

There are many more to conquer: men and woman, young and old, business ventures, upstart encroachers, and that mountain high paperwork.

His office work begun with piles after piles of paperwork.

* * *

It was not exactly the most welcoming view first thing in the morning in Ryuuichi's eyes. But he was nothing but efficient and thorough in his job.

After several meetings lawful and clandestine alike to seat or stand on, deals and proposals to negotiate a bargain, aftermath of credits in numbers, finished reports were evaluated and double-checked. His overall day job was over. Rising from his leather-upholstered chair, Ryuuichi left his office in Sion unruffled as ever without a slightest hint of taxing weariness of someone under a corporate environment should obviously suffer.

He had a party and a dinner date to attend.

This is his life.

Then, rinse and repeat.

* * *

Without any consideration, Ryuuichi set a brutal relentless pace into the already wet vaginal walls underneath him. He was crushing the woman by the punishing force of thrusting his breeding organ between her legs as the pained-pleasured moans spurned him on violently to piston in and out. Her vagina tightened around him into a blissful grip, but his restless and harder thrust punctuated his unsatisfied lust into the woman he soon exhausted into a state of unconsciousness before midnight was over.

His first and only ejaculation spurted into her insides. The woman was too weary to feel his seed wetting into her inner thighs.

The craving of his libido being dealt with, Ryuuichi left the hotel room.

Inside his BMW, he lit up a stick of Dunhill. He was ill at ease, hating this uncalled need-

He mentally sneered at the thought of needing and depending on someone with no merit, and proceeded to ponder if another toy or a challenge could distract him from traipsing into useless introspection as of late.

* * *

A passing thought surfaced from his mind. This image did become more frequent lately. Ryuuichi of course, swatted the image away, dismissing its value that would never amount to much in his world.

* * *

Dating in general did not rate highly on the scale of Ryuuichi's priorities. Men or women were the usual ambitious money-leeching sorts in his line of work. He would indulge himself from time to time until his entertainment quota was totally spent. A casual fuck would do, occasionally.

Finding a date was no different.

Actually, he did not have to find one. A line was already waiting.

* * *

The marathon-like carnal activities sated his libido for a brief moment. However, Ryuuichi found it disappointingly unsatisfactory and oddly empty.

Surely it was what he wanted, but the act and the company were not his entire system seemed to prefer. Or even the craving he desired. A gnawing lost he had not known.

For the first time, Ryuuichi found out that there was an absolute borderline between orgasmic bliss and gratifying fulfilment.

What a strange and disquieting realization.

* * *

Kirishima Kei inconspicuously poked his head into the boss' office.

The crimelord seemed to be lost in thought for a long while. A very long moment of contemplation, a posturing that was never good on anyone's continued health.

He pitied whoever or whatever the boss was brainstorming about. On an extremely good day the boss would have rocked anyone to believe that the sun rose and set with him. For a short while. The last person lasted exactly five weeks and three days. But on a bad day, Asami would have chewed up the besotted fool and spit him out like any disposable material.

The crimelord was mildly easy to fascinate but it was hard to maintain his interest. No one could really last longer than necessary while Asami's unpredictable predilection was concerned.

Sooner this episode of contemplation would be a matter of little or no consequence.

Nodding to himself, Kei went back to his desk before the boss could perceive his mental absence.

* * *

The joys of formal parties were the covert meetings of flesh against flesh behind closets, maze gardens, and vacant rooms upstairs.

His date's (her name was forgotten even by his legendary attention to details. In defence, it was difficult to distinguish between Miyabi and Miyaka and Mayumi with all their variations of the same in-fashion pinned-up hairstyles.) lips were vivid gelatinous red.

He would fuck that mouth which spouted never-ending gossip till those lips were swollen and choking with his seed.

* * *

A heavy sigh of infuriated disappointment echoed in the dark.

"Unfortunately, I'm not in the mood."

"…Since _when_ have you been _not_ into the mood?"

* * *

"Damn it," Ryuuichi muttered under his breath, studying his flaccid penis. It never once did fail him so pathetically. And he had never seen it to be that lifelessly sagging, chiefly, when someone's giving a greedy head on it.

How is it possible that he can't get it up?

Just what in the world is happening to him lately?

* * *

BANG!

A body slumped downwards and fell with a resounding thud inside the warehouse.

Asami's calculating patience was a thing to be admired. Unfortunately, this same patience was stretched out to its limits.

Even stalwart Suoh Kazumi allowed an infinitesimal flinch at the end of the meeting.

Kei began to wonder if Asami was frustrated about something. It's not every day that the self-possessed man went out of his way to gun-happy that borderline overkill.

In that same night, the boss spent his downtime at the Okamino Haven.

Asami always had the oddest of whims, but this predilection to male courtesans went over the line.

When Kei traded glances with Kazumi, it was a nonverbal agreement between them to go with the boss' course.

Both rather preferred their lives and balls relatively safe and sound.

* * *

The only thing Ryuuichi could find comfort in was the wanton images of Takaba which all came back with gripping vengeance in one sticky superglue mess of play-by-play flashbacks.

At the very least, the old-fashioned co-masturbation with a nameless young man he sampled had given him a small amount of relief.

(But it's not enough.)

* * *

When Asami returned from his nightly stimulating exercise, Kei was inwardly apprehensive. The unperturbed countenance was obviously present but there's no argument of the near hidden rattled aggravation in Asami's fluid poise.

The ominous feeling of tip-toeing on the eggshells had crawled a shudder on Kei's skin.

* * *

No one had gotten under his skin that so easily.

Feilong did not count. That before, was basically harmless teasing and unluckily for Feilong, he was not the faintest bit interested to take him.

_Until Takaba Akihito, your very first._ A poisonous voice from his inner conscious whispered tauntingly.

Like a bulldozer. A person would never stand chance against it. Or a sneaky virus. That's more like Takaba.

A virus could easily infiltrate through the line of defences, then it would be lie in dormant state to elude even the most thorough inspection until such time it would slowly worm in to infect the victim's immunity with its overwhelming legion.

Ryuuichi dispassionately evaluated these logical findings and what it entails.

He did not jump in giddiness though.

What is it about Takaba that stood out from the rest anyway?

… And he _still _liked women.

After all, he chose not to have the actual sex intercourse with that young man from Okamino Haven. (He was sorely tempted though. But he did not feel so up to it.)

* * *

A day after that epiphany and weighing the pros and cons of seeing the photographer, the solution to Ryuuichi's internal struggle turned out to be simple: a short order of bringing the boy to him and then run himself a self-test.

An hour later, Suoh came back with a negative.

* * *

A cruel cosmic joke was being played over them. It was a demented game just about chasing a mouse which was out of reach and sight.

And no one in Asami's payroll found it amusing.

"He's gone Asami-sama," Kazumi reported in professional monotone. "Takaba Akihito was on extended leave in overseas."

The head of security could in reality see the gradual disintegration of the legendary three Cs (cool collected calmness) of Asami. It was only through his in-born poker face that helped Kazumi to maintain stoicism. Anything less to manage in cornered weakness was bound to catastrophe when it's Asami who caught one's epic fail.

* * *

Blood splattered all over the floor and the walls. Numerous holes drilled by bullets could barely resembled whatever was left of the traitorous informant who looked like roadkill.

It was terrifyingly disturbing Asami's current perpetual mood was in.

Since that day the boss discovered Takaba had disappeared in Japan, no one was exempted to the tenfold icy displeasure air Asami Ryuuichi had all but bathe himself.

Throughout the years of Kei's employment to the crimelord before and in present association, to kill or be killed was in the job description.

Still, it's Asami's nature to never strike first. The golden-eyed man was too coldly calculating for that. But when Asami retaliated in offense, it was done in a cold, detached summary execution.

Nothing like this picture of sociopathic madman possessed by something.

_Or perhaps by someone,_ Kei mentally corrected himself in contained shock.

Romance and Asami Ryuuichi did not exist in the same plane of existence. A deep and definitive sentimental notion like love does not fit in to that closed-off dark heart.

Obsession, that's more like Asami Ryuuichi.

(Several years later, Kei is proven so dead wrong. Takaba Akihito is a game changer. Someone everyone must keep a better eye on. For everyone's sake.)

* * *

In a nutshell version:

Six months and counting, Asami had gone metaphorically ballistic over Takaba's extended absence. Even after scouring high and low, the end result was the same. It was like Takaba was a dream that came into reality and left a nightmare on his wake.

At worst, Asami voluntarily abstain to have his usual sexual escapades. But when the boss finally gave in to his basic urges, it was only made possible through an alternative of Takaba's almost look-alike. The aftermath though remained unsatisfactory and completely undesirable. Asami was not feeling contentment and sexual frustration was still ongoing.

As a result, an unhappy Asami meant stone-cold misery for the rest of their job tenure.

And as Asami's subordinates with their sanity and welfare at stake, they have to deal with the man.

* * *

Then, a missive from Hong Kong came by.

_The imperial dragon is MIA._

That was a good distraction as any, in Asami's subordinates' general opinions. Underworld business no matter how bloody it could be was easier to handle than a besotted and Takaba-deprived crimelord.

(Little did they know that a little misunderstanding could blow things out of proportion.)

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

_Denial ain't just a river in Egypt._**_-by Mark Twain_**  
A humourous quote which says that one refuses to see what is obvious to every one else for self-preservation's sake. In this case, it's Asami-sama who wanted to convince himself.

I'm trying out a slightly different Asami-sama because I wanted to write an Asami-sama that's repulsed by the crippling phenomenon of love, so here's my hand at it. Let's all ponder in wonder how he would react in falling said 'trap' of a rabbit hole. What fun it will be to struggle against the fact that he likes/love Akihito-kun *winks and cackles mischievously*

* * *

**Before leaving, please leave a review.**


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